The storm that brought Dubai to a standstill
Dubai, United Arab Emirates Reuters A storm hit the United Arab Emirates and Oman this week bringing record rainfall that flooded highways, inundated houses, grid-locked traffic and trapped people in their homes. At least 20 people were reported to have died in the deluge in Oman while another person was said to have died in […]
US antisemitic incidents hit record high in 2023 amid war in Gaza, report says
Reuters The number of antisemitic incidents of assault, vandalism and harassment in the US hit a record high in 2023 as anti-Jewish sentiment spiked after the start of the Israel-Hamas war, according to a report released this week. The Jewish advocacy group Anti-Defamation League (ADL) tallied 8,873 antisemitic incidents in 2023, a 140 per cent […]
Russian villagers build homemade dam to keep out floods
Perovsky, Russia Reuters As floods engulfed large parts of central Russia, residents of one village defied advice to flee their homes and started building a homemade dam. Ivan Chernomorets, a resident of Perovsky near the city of Orenburg, said that after evacuating children and older people last week, a group of 20-30 locals set about […]
“We will teach by candlelight”: Argentine students and teachers protest Milei budget cuts
Buenos Aires, Argentina Reuters Argentina’s public universities held protests on Wednesday against sharp budget cuts by the government of President Javier Milei, turning off the lights in classrooms to draw attention to their predicament – and save money on electricity. The prestigious University of Buenos Aires (UBA) said it had experienced an 80 per cent […]
Hawaii releases detailed timeline of deadly wildfire that razed Lahaina
Reuters A fire engine arrived within five minutes of the first reports of a wildfire last August on the edge of Lahaina, the historic Hawaiian resort town, according to the most detailed timeline yet of the disaster, released on Wednesday by the Hawaii attorney general. The first emergency calls came in at 2:55pm on 8th […]
UNRWA chief warns man-made famine tightening grip across Gaza
United Nations Reuters A man-made famine is “tightening its grip” across the Gaza Strip, the head of the United Nations Palestinian refugee agency UNRWA warned on Wednesday as he accused Israel of blocking aid deliveries and seeking to end UNRWA’s activities in the enclave. “Today, an insidious campaign to end UNRWA’s operations is underway, with […]
Stabbed Sydney Assyrian bishop says recovering quickly, forgives attacker
Sydney, Australia Reuters An Assyrian bishop who was stabbed during a service at his Sydney church said on Thursday he was recovering quickly and that he had forgiven his attacker. Two knife attacks within three days – at a busy shopping centre near Bondi beach that killed six people on Saturday and at the Assyrian […]
The Interview: Kyle Portbury, Emmy-award-winning director/producer of ‘The Hopeful’
KATHRYN POST speaks to Portbury about his latest film which looks at the origins of Seventh-day Adventists…
Brazil braces for worst coral bleaching ever
Japaratinga, Brazil Reuters Brazil is bracing for what may be its worst-ever coral bleaching event as extremely warm waters damage reefs in the country’s largest marine reserve – threatening the region’s tourism and fishing revenues. With the world’s corals now suffering a fourth mass bleaching event in three decades, some had hoped Brazil’s reefs would […]
Essay: Mexico’s slow slide towards vigilante violence
In an article first published on The Conversation, AMELENDU MISRA sounds a warning about the prevalence of mob justice in today’s Mexico…